1. Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, in particular to an image forming apparatus having connectors in its main frame, which enable electric connection to an external device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus is provided with various connectors in its main frame in order to enable electric connection to an external device.
JP-A-2003-276276 discloses an image forming apparatus that is provided with a parallel connector and a USB connector to input data from an external device, and a power source connector to be connected to a power source, respectively.
Also, the image forming apparatus is generally provided with an ejection tray to stack ejected recording sheets having images formed on its surface.
However, when an external device is connected to the main frame side connector as described in JP-A-2003-276276, there may be cases where the external device or an external device side connector connecting the external device to the main frame side connector, etc., protrude outward of the casing of the image forming apparatus.
If a user drops, by mistake, a bundle of recording sheets taken out from the ejection tray, the bundle of recording sheets may be brought into collision with the protruded external device itself or the external device side connector. The collision force is transmitted to the main frame side connector, wherein there is a possibility for the main frame side connector to be subjected to damage.
In recent years, a USB memory in which an external device side connector attachable to such a main frame side connector is integrated has been used. When an impact is given to the USB memory with the USB memory connected to the main frame side connector, a force due to the impact is given directly to the main frame side connector. In such a case, a possibility for the main frame side connector to be subjected to damage becomes high.